A single family home, owner occupant is almost always a liability in a primary market, as it takes more dollars out of your pocket than is it can put back, ...no matter what tax and accounting magic can be pulled.

Appraisers are now on the other side of the pendulum, generally being very conservative with their valuations.It is not uncommon when a house is sold today for the appraisal to "magically" come in right around what the home is selling for.

Or at best, "dual agency" or "transaction brokerage" (your state laws may vary) - so if a broker that gets 10 - 12 listings from a bank - all of a sudden (if you have that listing broker OR SOMEONE THAT WORKS FOR THEM, write the contract) - they are then magically supposed to become "neutral" - I don't see in the real world how that happens!

When I got started investing, I wondered why nobody just published the magic "good deal ratio."

I do not have a magic pill for that post, but I would say it comes down to your comfort level or confidence in making something happen.  

In some areas, they could be a tough find anyway.If a couple breaks up or one person wants to move out, that is up to them, but that doesn't magically make them not responsible for the lease.

Really the magic question is if you do sell what can replace this with? 

It's not that it's magic, it's just that it saves me a ton of time.  

With that said, there seems to be some magical money floating around town.

A term including lawyers, title companies and others in this field will magically materialize once you find a great deal.The best thing that happen to me when I started in this business is I had NO money - No credit and No knowledge investing in real estate  ----- as a result I had to to depend on creative financing - I would ---use cash partnersfinancing companies (they love to finance things that don't have wheelsdelayed settlementhybrid offersoptionsassignmentspossession agreementssubject to existing mortgagesseller refi for take over Any other ways to get my big toe in the door to potential cash flow.My opinion BANKS - MORTGAGE BROKERS/BANKERS - and Hard Money Lenders are not investor friendly and some are predators looking to suck the bucks from your profit and the spirit from your sole.If I offended any of the above - well I have the lumps and negative experience now and right to express my opinion!